Pirates Wanted is an immersive and interactive experience performing aboard the American Pride, the 130-ft, 3-masted tall ship operated by the Los Angeles Maritime Institute in San Pedro. Pirates Wanted started from the simple idea of "what if we did an immersive show on an actual ship?" Over the last year and a half, this thought transformed and grew into the magical explosion of adventure, love, and diversity that is Pirates Wanted. Through the lens of a colorful and queer pirate crew, Pirates Wanted! embraces the idea that everyone can be a pirate. The casting and storyline of the project specifically highlights people from historically marginalized groups (i.e. BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+).

Pirates Wanted tells the story of Captain Souvanna, a fierce queer woman of color who is trying to make her mark in the Golden Age of Piracy. This wild and wacky crew will first attempt to steal a ship from the British Royal Navy and then turn a ship full of landlubbers (the audience) into actual seaworthy pirates just in time to prove their worthiness to the Great Pirate Council once and for all. However, this is not the only challenge of the night as the threat of sirens comes to light and rumors of mutiny abound. It's up to the audience to decide whether this crew will sink or swim as they navigate these unfamiliar waters.

The amazing thing about immersive theatre is how it pulls audiences directly into the world and gives them the ability to affect that world. Pirates Wanted is highly interactive, with audience members directly working with the characters to influence the narrative and change the ending of the show night after night. It’s this kind of direct engagement that can have an impact on how people see the world and navigate through new experiences and ideas.

A show like this, with this level of interactivity and storytelling on a ship has not been done on this scale in LA before, and we need all the support and funding possible to make it happen.